We’re delighted to say that Dr Paul Kasher has been granted a £100,000 Springboard award by the Academy of Medical Sciences to expand his research team.
Dr Kasher is Stroke Association HRH The Princess Margaret Lecturer at the University of Manchester.
Dr Kasher’s lectureship started in 2017 and his biomedical research takes place in the lab. He is investigating how models of brain bleeds (haemorrhagic stroke) in zebrafish can shed much-needed light on how bleeds happen within human brains.
As part of our research strategy, our funded lecturers are playing a critical role in building a vibrant community of stroke researchers across the UK.
Springboard Award
The Springboard grant scheme offers personalised packages of career support to help newly independent biomedical scientists to launch their research careers.
Speaking about his latest funding, Dr Kasher said,
“This grant will allow me to employ a Research Technician for two years, providing me with the necessary experimental support for my research. This person will assist with the day-to-day running and maintenance of my lab and will become an essential member of my expanding research group.
“The work that the Springboard Award supports will allow us to improve our understanding of how cells in the brain respond immediately after a bleed, and will provide us with new insight into which molecules are central to the progression of brain injury. We will then block these molecules to determine whether this can reduce/improve brain injury in a zebrafish model of a brain haemorrhage.
“Overall, we aim to identify new potential therapeutic targets which may then be considered for the treatment of haemorrhagic stroke. I am continuing to work closely with expert stroke clinicians to ensure that discoveries obtained through zebrafish studies will remain clinically relevant, with the potential to progress to rapid translation to stroke treatment in the future. “
Dr Shamim Quadir, Research Communications Manager at the Stroke Association said:
“We’re so excited to see Dr Kasher’s team expand so fast, and exemplify what our lectureship programme set out to do. We look forward to seeing the next developments from Dr Kasher’s lab in the near future.”
Dr Kasher’s Springboard award is due to start in July 2018. Read our policy position on using animals in research.
PhD Studentship
In addition to his Springboard Award, Dr Kasher was recently awarded funding to add a PhD student to his team through a Medical Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership (MRC DTP).
Ms Sarah Withers is due to start her PhD in September 2018, and the studentship is scheduled to last 3.5 years.
About the researcher
To find out more about Dr Kasher and his research visit his webpage.
To find out about his lectureship award, visit our website.